Signal for tram-cars



(No Model.)

T. L. JOHNSON.

smfml.v PoR TRAM GARS.

PatentedNov. s, 1885.

zalman N. PETERS, mul-Rhum, Wllhnnun, U. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TOM L. JOHNSON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SIGNAL FOR TRANI-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329.566, dated November3I 1885.

Application filed May 27, 1884.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, TOM L. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Head Light Signals forTram-Cars, of which the following is a specifcation.

My invention is an improved head-light signal for tram-cars, constructedas fully set forth hereinafter, so as to be capable of being varied inorder to make a large number of distinctive signals, and to providemeans whereby sufficient light is afforded upon the platforms tofacilitate the operations of the conductor and driver without thenecessity of employing a separate lamp for'this purpose.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front view representing my improvedhead-light signal for train-cars. Fig. 2 is a transverse verticalsection of Fig. l, showing the signal arranged npongag'car. Fig. 3 is asection on the line l 2, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of theframe, and Figs. 5 and 6 are views illustrating modifications.

In cities where different lines of cars use a common track or arestationed ata common center it is important to have some visibledistinction, especially at night, whereby passengers and others candeterminethe lines to which the various cars belong. This has been doneby providing the cars with head-lights or signal-lights of differentcolors; but as only primary colors can be used this mode ofdistinguishing the cars is of course limited and fails to serve thepurpose in large cities. Furthermore, in the suburbs of large cities andin small towns where the streets are not very well lighted, it isdesirable to provide means whereby the drivers can distinguish thepassengers, or the conductor inspect his moneyin making change, &c., andthis has usually necessitated the employment of special lamps for thepurpose.

My invention consists of a head-light signal in which the field light orglass is combined with one or more bulls-eyes in such manner thatvarious combinations may be made, so as to afford distinctive signalsfor a large number of separate lines, and at the same time illaminatethe platform, so as to facilitate the operations of the driver orconductor.

Serial No. 132,940. (No model.)

In constructing my improved head-light signal I generally make thefield-glass A of transparent glass, and combine therewith one or morebulls-eyes, B, arranged in respect to the eld-plate so as to cover but aportion of the latter, the glass composing the bulls-eye beingcolored,or, as shown in the drawings, the field-glass beneath the bullseye being colored, so that the head-light presents a combination ofcolors, whereby it may be readily distinguished from those in commonuse, consisting each of a single color, or from other head-lights inwhich there is a different arrangement of field-glass and bulls-eyes.Thus the field-glass A may be oval with the bulls- 3; or the field-glassmay be circular, as shown in Fig. 5, with two or more bull s-eyesarranged thereon; or it may be diamond-shaped with a differentarrangement of bulls-eyes, as shown in Fig. 6. In any event I am enabledby the relative arrangement of the field-plate and bulls-eyes to securea large number of distinct signal-lights, in which the colored rays areintensied by the action of the lens, so as to be visible from aconsiderable distance, while the transparent field-glass permits therays of light to pass directly to the platform without obstruction orabsorption, and affords the requisite light for the conductor or driverwithout the employment of a separate lamp for the purpose.

r[he Jlield-glass and bulls-eye may be secured in their proper relativepositions in any suitable manner; but I prefer to use a frame, D,recessed to receive the fleld-glass,which is secured in position byputty or cement, and formed in one piece with one or more internalframes, f, held in position in respect to the main frame by ribs e. rIheframes f are contracted toward the front, so as to permit the bull7seyes B to be inserted from the rear, after which the insertion andsecuring of the fieldglass serves as a means of holding the bullseyessecurely in their places.

When desired, the field-glass may be made the means of displaying thename of the car, line, or route, or other matter or symbols.

The frames above described, cast in one piece, may be made at acomparatively slight eX- pense, secure a support for the glass, and theribs e, extending over the field-glass, serve to eye B in the center, asshown in Figs. 1, 2, and` IOO protect and guard it withoutmaterially/obstructing the light.

It will be seen that intheV construction of frame described the innerframes, f, are in advance of the outer frame, so as to support thebulls-eyes in a plane in advance of the iield-glass.

The position of the signal-light in respect to the wall of the car isillustrated in Fig. 2, in which X designates the wall ofthe car, and Ithe case of the lantern containing the usual lamp, J

Iam aware that a reversible glass ball has been' placed in front of aheadlight for locomotives; but my invention is distinguished from suchan arrangement by the fact that I 'use a bulls-eye lens in connectionwith a field-plate less in area than the latter and secured in thesupporting-frame of the fieldplate.

Without limiting myself to the preciseconstruction and arrangement ofparts shown, Iv 'claiml. A head-light signal for tram-cars, consistingof a field-plate of glass of one color covering the whole iield, and oneor more Xed bulls-eyes or lenses less in area than the fieldplate, andXedly retained in front of and in proximity to the field-plate'7substantially as set forth.

2. A tram-'car lamp-signal frameholding' within its border asmallerframe, the large frame constructed forholding a field-glass andthe smaller frame' for holding a glass bullseye, the planes ofthe twoglasses differing, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3.v A tram-car signal consisting-of a frame supporting a field-glass,lettered ormarked as set forth, and a smaller inner frame supporting abulls-eye in front of the field-glass and of a different color,substantially as specified.

4. The combination,with the lamp of atramcar, of a signal head-lightconsisting of a fieldglass covering the whole field, a supportingframe,and one or more smaller bulls-eyes supported xedly by the frame in frontof and in close proximity to the field-glass, substantially as setforth. I

5. A frame for the head-light signal of tramcars, consisting of an outerframe adapted to y receive and hold the eld-glass, and a smaller innerframe adapted to support the bulls-eye, and connections between the two,substantially as set forth.

6. A frame for a signal-glass,` consisting of 55 an outer frame and aninner frame lxedly 'supported in aposition in advance of the

